2L needing to transfer for third year - any advice appreciated

Hi, I'm a 2L and I live in a town about 6 hours away from my family. I recently found out that I need to be closer to home for family reasons, and I'm not sure how to go about transferring law schools.

What is generally a compelling reason for transferring? Are family problems? How in depth should one go?

Do I need to tell my Dean the reasons I'm leaving? If I do, is there a chance they wouldn't approve and wouldn't let me go finish my third year at another school closer to home?

Does anyone know if schools generally accept incoming 3Ls?

For the letters of recommendation, are these just general letters or do I need to tell my recommender that I am requesting the letter because I want to transfer?

I'm not looking to go to a school for a higher ranking, just needing to be closer to my family.

But, the general rule is you cannot transfer after the 2nd year (that's almost always the case), but you can visit for a semester or for the whole year. So, you'll be looking to visit at your target school as a visiting student and receive your degree from your original school.

Admission as a visiting student is not as competitive as transfer student, but your disclosure of your compelling reason to relocate should help and they probably want more details than just "family reasons," especially if your target school is ranked higher than your current school.

You may not be able to transfer, but you should be able to visit. If there is a school near by your family, talk to your school, talk to the other school, and ask about visiting. You take classes and finish school at the other school, but your diploma still comes from your original school. If you have pressing family reasons, the schools should be willing to help you out.

You may not be able to transfer, but you should be able to visit. If there is a school near by your family, talk to your school, talk to the other school, and ask about visiting. You take classes and finish school at the other school, but your diploma still comes from your original school. If you have pressing family reasons, the schools should be willing to help you out.

What's new in this post that's not already mentioned in my post right above this one?

I'm doing the same thing next year. You don't write a PS, just a short statement of your reasons for wanting to visit.The whole process took about a month and a half from first contacting the school that I'm visiting to being accepted. When you meet with your dean, just be very forthcoming with your reasons why, and that should help alleviate any problems on that end. Also, make sure you have an in depth conversation with the school you want to visit and make sure they will be accommodating of you. Get in touch with me if you have any questions.

I told the professor that I got a letter from why I needed to transfer. I don't know what he said since I waived access. It depends on if you even need a LOR. I know another student at my school who is doing the same thing as me, and the school he's trying to visit waived that requirement. They said the letter of good standing was sufficient. The school I'm visiting didn't require them either, but I submitted one anyway since the professor I got one from is the faculty advisor for an organization I'm president of, and it was founded at the school I'm attending next year. Call the school you want to visit at. They'll be able to tell you.